2011 Top 20 Blogmas Posts to Make You Feel

If you’ve read my blog, you probably know I like to laugh and I like to have fun. When it comes to reading blogs, I still like to laugh but I also want something that makes me feel. The feeling can be sad, sympathetic, empathetic, inspired, elated, breathless, disgusted, angry, or any other powerful emotion. But the point is that the writing is good enough to draw me in and make me care.

You’ll find a wide range of posts here and some probably will evacuate your tear ducts. I think different posts speak to different people and I’m willing to bet you’ll find one here that really makes you feel.

I’ve been following Joanna forever on Twitter and I’m not sure I’ve ever visited her blog. With a nomination from Brandy of mannlymama, I had reason to and I’m so glad I did. I’m in agreement with Brandy that this post is just perfect:

2. Post Most Likely to Give You the Goosebumps in an Awesome, Freaky Kind of Way by Erin from A Parenting Production

I’ve known Erin personally for a few years now and I still learn something new about her every time I read her blog. When I first read about her losing her father at a young age, it touched me so deeply. But this post, brought it almost full circle and made me so happy for her:

That’s a big title for a post to carry but it was clearly how Marissa from 4 Little Monkeys felt about it. I can’t say that I blame her. It’s never easy to talk about attempted suicide especially when it’s your own. I found it to be a beautiful and inspiring post:

4. Best Post to Make You Stop and Think About a Sitcom in a New Light by Jenn Marie from Are We Pregnant Yet?

I’m fortunate never to have given fertility a second thought. In fact, I’m probably the kind of person that makes those struggling with fertility a little nuts. But I’ve been around enough to know that this is something that burns deep in the soul. And this post about an episode of “How I Met Your Mother” simply took my breath away:

You know how kids have such simple logic that it makes adults wonder why we make everything so complex? This is a perfect example of how a multi-colored family is raising colorblind kids. So thankful that Jenna from Stop, Drop and Blog nominated this beautiful post:

6. Best Bear-your-soul-to-the-world Kinda Post to Help You Heal by Maureen from Tatter Scoops

Maureen has had a lot of ups and downs in her recent life and she always seems to handle them with grace. But when she wrote about her the end of her marriage, I felt all the rollercoaster of emotions that she felt and I’m so glad she wrote about it:

7. Best Bring a Tissue Because I’m Not My Mother, I Love Her Anyways and I’m Finally Okay with That Post by Laverne from Kindred Adventures

I always seem to meet people that have complex issues with their mother. Maybe it’s because I do too. The older I get the more accepting I am of how similar we are but I’ve also learned that becoming like her isn’t necessarily inevitable as Laverne points out:

9. Best Tell It Like It Is and the Truth Shall Set You Free Post by NaLonni from Southern Hit or Miss

This was not the post I was expecting, especially after you see the writing prompt that inspired this post. But I think after reading this, or I hope at least, NaLonni is free. Writing can definitely do that for you:

How brave do you have to be to not only come to terms with a mental health diagnosis but to openly write about it? That’s not the most emotional part of it. What got me is how Deborah revealed her self-described flaws and has moved forward with her life by not letting her diagnosis define her:

11. Most Sh*t Happening in the Shortest Period of Time by Misty from The Family Math

Let’s put it out there. Misty wrote about breastfeeding vs. formula feeding. She wasn’t on any soapbox except her own as she shared her grueling story of having a less than expected newborn experience.

13. Best Post to Make You Remember and Appreciate the Ups and Downs of Parenthood by Tricia from Raising Humans

14. Best Post to Remind Us that Parents Can Leave Lifelong Scars by Jenn Marie from Blenifer uncorked

We have two chances at a good parent-child relationship. The first, we’re born into and unfortunately we don’t have much control over. The second is with our own children. This post is a good reminder of how parents impact their children in more ways than they realize:

There are a few topics you generally stay away from if you don’t want controversy: religion, politics, and racism. Jennifer went there. Only I expected her post to be about being on the receiving end of racism and was surprised to see it shift in the other direction. I appreciate her sharing how she chose to grow into her own beliefs:

17. Best Post Reminding Us That Dads Can Also Blog by Dwayne from Dwayne 360º

18. Best Post to Gently Remind Yourself That It’s Not Really All About You by Jennifer from Just Jennifer

I love it when I have a moment of clarity. And usually that moment is a simple one. Jennifer had one of those moments where she really listened to the quote “Be the change you want to see in the world”:

19. Best Let’s Feel Sorry For Ourselves Even Though Your Husband Was Doing You a Favor Post by Roses’s Daughter from My Life

Working mom guilt is just about the worst. But sometimes it’s not about feeling guilty. It’s about just plain feeling bad that you have to miss out on some of the things in your child’s life, even when it is all in the family:

And there you have it. The 20 posts that made me feel something. I can be a tough reader and only one post made my eyes water but so many of these just drew out emotions in me, some good, some bad. But they all accomplished the goal of making me feel. I hope at least one of them does the same for you.

I am very honored to know that my story touched someone else. It is exactly what I hoped for when I wrote it. Thank you for making my day by including it here. Have a wonderful New Year.

Anonymous

I’ve written about suicide. I don’t know why but it’s a topic I feel so strongly about. Thankfully, I don’t ever write from personal experience. I’m so glad you shared and I hope it helps someone!

http://www.motherhoodthetruth.com/ Truthfulmommy

Fadra,
I am honored that you included me in this list of amazing posts. I can’t wait to read all of these. My post was the hardest post that I have ever written. I try to be transparent on a daily basis on my blog but this was something that even some of my closest friend IRL don’t know about me.Well, they didn’t but they do now:) That alone scared the crap out of me. This post sat in draft for a few weeks but the support that I received from my readers was amazing and freeing in so many ways. Thank you so much for sharing it here. Happiest of NEw Years, my friend! XO

Anonymous

I have to tell you that when I went through a depression, my doctor was talking to my therapist because he had suspicions that I was bipolar (I’m not) but I remember being horrified at being thought of that way. There is such a stigma with mental illness. Even saying mental illness. So I can imagine how incredibly difficult this was to write. I was so impressed with how open and honest you were and I’m so happy you hit publish.

http://jah-justjennifer.blogspot.com Jennifer Hall

Oh Fadra, thank you so much for including my post in this list! I will go forth and brag about it!

Anonymous

Thank you for including it!

http://jah-justjennifer.blogspot.com Jennifer Hall

can I borrow your Blogmas Worthy graphic for use on my blog?

Anonymous

Love the list. I’m familiar with some but now I’m off to read the rest. Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous

Well deserved reading. Hope you enjoyed!

http://www.growingupinoz.com/ Joanna @ Growing Up in Oz

I can’t believe I made any list. The fact that one person read it and thought it was awesome makes me so happy!

Anonymous

Joanna – it was the first entry for Blogmas and I knew it had to go at the top of this list. It was just so beautifully written. I can’t even remember if I’ve ever been to your blog but I just loved that piece.

NaLonni Madden

WOW! I won an award! My very first!! I’m so excited! Can I post it up on my blog, can I, can I?

Anonymous

Post away!!

http://chroniclesofpookahsmom.com Rose’s Daughter

Thank you SO much for including me! I’m so honored!!!!

Anonymous

I’m honored that you keep coming back to MY blog!!

FourAgainstTwo

Wow! I was overcome to be reconized. I’m a little blog and to be noticed is awesome! Thanks, I cannot wait to read the other posts. Thanks FireMom for the nomination!

Anonymous

The size of the blog is in the eye of the beholder. The true value is in the power of the words. Loved your post!

http://twitter.com/MomMadeItLookEZ Jennifer Williams

Yippee! Thanks so much for sharing my post.

Anonymous

Thank you for including it!

http://profiles.google.com/erinclane Erin Lane

Thanks for sharing my post Fadra! I love your Blogmas

Anonymous

I got chills when I read that post. I LOVE stories like that.

Anonymous

What a great list!

Anonymous

Hope you enjoyed!

http://www.tatterscoops.com Tatter Scoops

Thank you so much for including me, Fadra. I am so stoked and will be visiting and reading the others. That post was really one of the hardest one to publish as typing it brought me back to the beginning all over again. Thank you and have a very Happy New Year!

Anonymous

It was a beautifully written post, Maureen. I could really feel the emotion in it. Thank you for sharing!

Thanks so much for featuring my blog post Fadra. I keep telling you how awesome you are for doing this. A great set of posts here.

http://twitter.com/librajenn Jenn

great choices!

http://twitter.com/Minister_Mama Grace Biskie

Thanks for compiling this list! I really want to go through and read all these great posts…just came across your blog through Twitter…hope to get to “know you” better through your blog…you seem like cool beans. =)